Mail-box letter-indicator.



C. E. LUCAS.

MAIL BOX LETTER INDICATOR.

APPucATloN FILED MAR. 20, 19t-s.

Pafnted Apr. 16, 1918.

Zwaag f @Hoz mm1 sTaTns ranNT nien MAIL-BOX LETTER-INDICATOR.

naciente.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratentea'apr. is, isis.

Application iiled March 20, 1916. Serial No. 85,514.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. Luci-is, a citizen oi' the Dominion oi' Canada, residing at Toronto, in the Province of ntario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Mail- Box Letter-indicators; and I do hereby de, clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oi the invention, such as will enable-others skilled in the art to which it appertains to malte and use the same.

This invention relates to mail boxes, and particularly to means for indicatin whether or not mail matter has been deposited in the box.

The primary object of the invention is to provide improved means for indicating to the owner of the mail box whether or not letters or parcels have been deposited within the box, and resides in the provision of a. tilting tray within the box and upon one end of which letters inserting within the mail receptacle are adapted to rest, whereby a signal or indicating arm will be projected from the box to apprise the owner of the presence of mail matter therein.

W ith the above mentioned object in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention Jfurther resides in the novel combination, construction, and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more i'ully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings and particularly pointed out in the claim.

T he inventive characteristics are disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1, is a vertical sectional view taken through a mail box constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2, is a similar view of the box and illustrating the operation of the tilting tray when overbalanced by a parcel or letter,

Fig. 3, is a front elevation ot' the box as shown in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4, is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 5 indicates a casing which may be formed of any suitable material and may be constructed of any desired size. This casing is provided with a compartment 6 projecting upwardly therefrom and within which mail matter is adapted to be inserted. This compartment is provided in the upper partl of its rear wall with a slot or opening 7 through which letters or packages are relation to each other are posts 10, the saidv postsserving'as a supporting` means tor the superstructiilre G. Extending laterally Vot the casing and preferably below the juncture oi' the compartment with the casing is a pair of bars 11, the said bars being arranged upon each side of the posts 1() and secured thereto. An axle 12 connects the posts 10 at the bottoni of the compartment 6 and substantially in alin'ement with the lowermcst edges of the openings at the opposite sides ot the said compartment. A tray 13 vis' pivoted intermediate its ends for rocking movement upon the axle 12, the lsaid tray comprising a sheet or plate of substantially thin metal reduced intermediate its ends to tit between the posts 10 and being of such dimensions at one end as to lie within and form a bottom for the mail receiving compartment 6. The opposite end of the tray is provided with an outwardly and upwardly projecting flange or plate 14 which comprises the signal member or arm. The upper surface of the casing 5 is provided with a slot or opening 15 through which the signal plate 14 is adapted to project when the tray is swung to horizontal position. To efficiently support the tray thus formed for rocking movement upon the axle 12 a boxing 16 is provided. This boxing is of a diameter to loosely tit upon the axle and is of a length to be conveniently accommodated between the posts 10. A. plate 17 is secured at its ends as by screws or rivets 18 to the adjacent tray portions to secure thev boxing 16. The construction is such that when the tray is mounted within the casing in the above described manner with the signal iange end of the tray overbalancing the opposite end, the said tray will be so positioned that the signal arm or member 14 is retracted from the slot or opening 15.v

When in this position, the adjacent cross bar 11 acts as a support or stop to limit Jfurther downward movement of the tray. Obviously, when in this position, the opposite end of the tray will be slightly elevated, but upon the insertion of a letter or parcel within the opening 7 the said parcel will drop upon the compartment bottom forming end of the tray to overbalance the same and elevate the signal iange end ot' the tray. This movement causes the signal flange 14@ to be` projected through the slot 15 to indicate that the box contains mail matter. T he presence of articles upon the tray causes the article supporting end to lie in horizontal position, in substantial alinement with the lowermost edges of the end openings of the compartment. l v preferably inscribe suitable wording or lettering upon the signal or indicating flange lll to apprise the owner of the box that the latter contains parcels and to attract his attention. y

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the box may be secured to the inner side of a door or wall with the opening or slot 7 communicating with a similar opening in the said door, through which letters or parcels may be inserted to be received upon the tray 13. However, the device may be with facility adapted for use in rural districts where mail boxes are usually placed beside a road and at a distance remote from the house. In the latter respect, it is apparent that a signaling device for such boxes will prove of great advantage and benefit. `While l have herein shown and described a preferred or particular embodiment of the invention, l wish it to be understood that I need not confine myself to all the precise details of' construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as modification and variation `may -be made Without departing` from necesite the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claim.

l/Vhat is claimed is A mail box, comprising in combination, a

vertically disposed letter compartment and a forwardly extending chamber at the lower end of said compartment and communicat-V ing with the latter, said letter compartment having an opening in its rear side `adapted to lit over a mail slot inra wall, a pair of spaced parallel standards mounted vertically in said compartment, a shaft journaled between said standards at the top of the chamber, a tray mounted on said shaft and having a section extending` horizontally across said compartment and a section extending into said chamber, an upstanding element stamped from the tray in the chamber, said chamber having' a slot in its topv wall to receive said upstanding element, and stops below the tray for limiting the downward oscillated, said tray including a boxing surrounding the shaft, a bearing seat stamped from the tray and receiving said boxing and a securing plate overlying the boxing and secured to the tray.

In testimony whereof, aiiix my signature,

in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES EDWARD LUCAS.

Witnesses: y

KATHRINE BOTTOMLEY, EVA E. WILKINSON.

@epilee of this patent may be obtained or five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente,

Washington, D. (5.

movement of the sections when thetray is f 

